1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a collapsible saw horse, and, more specifically, to an exceptionally sturdy yet light weight collapsible saw horse which is provided with legs that pivot toward one another so that the saw horse requires less storage space and may be more easily handled.
2. Background
The uses for saw horses are well known. Saw horses are generally bulky and require a fair amount of storage space. Attempts have been made to design a collapsible but sturdy saw horse which is capable of the same duties as a traditional saw horse yet requires a minimum of storage space. The problem with the majority of these prior art collapsible saw horses is that they are complex and difficult to fold and unfold.
One patent which attempted to avoid design complexity and difficulties in folding and unfolding is the collapsible saw horse of U.S. Pat. No. 4,502,563 to Pershon (1985). The Pershon collapsible horse utilizes two telescopically engaged tubular members, the inner member having a length which exceeds the length of the outer tubular member. A first pair of downwardly extending legs is attached to the longer member while a second pair of downwardly extending legs is attached to the shorter member. The Pershon invention allows the legs to easily collapse toward one another simply by lifting the saw horse off of the ground. A problem with the Pershon collapsible horse is that its design requires large tubular members in order to prevent flexing at the points of leg attachment. The requirement for large tubular members is primarily due to the fact that braces cannot be attached from the outer legs to the outer tubular member since the legs are rotatable with respect thereto. Another disadvantage is that the large pipe required results in the collapsible saw horse being unnecessarily heavy.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,148,746 to Joculano (1964) is another patent for a collapsible saw horse. The Joculano "foldable horse" possesses an interior rod with downwardly extending legs pivotally attached thereto. The attachments for the pivoting legs clamp around and extend above the horizontal crossbar. Therefore, the upper surface of the crossbar is not uniform and does not provide a smooth upper work surface. The Joculano patent additionally possesses cross braces which extend horizontally from the legs at one end to the legs on the other end. A more stable configuration is attainable by attaching the braces to the crossbar; however, this is not possible because the legs are rotatable with respect thereto. Furthermore, Joculano's horizontal braces do not permit the user to work in close proximity to the crossbar. The horizontal braces additionally provide a surface on which the user may strike or scrap his/her shins.
U.S. Pat. No. 812,344 to Howser (1906) also teaches an adjustable type saw horse structure. The Howser patent shows diagonal braces which are attached to the horizontal member. However, due to the extendable telescoping nature of the horizontal member, the upper surface is irregular. The diagonal brace attachments clamp around and extend above the horizontal member, and the manner in which the legs are affixed to the horizontal member also render the upper surface of the horizontal member irregular. Therefore, the Howser patent does not provide a smooth surface for a workstation. The device also requires the user to manipulate the clamping mechanisms.